When you peer into the refrigerator, do you wonder, "What should I eat that's healthy?" or do you simply think "What can I eat?" The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services hope you'll start asking the former question. To help you determine what type of diet is healthiest, these agencies have revised a publication titled Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This booklet contains seven suggestions for healthy eating. Although not comprehensive, it offers some general principles that will have a beneficial impact if put into practice.

Many American diets contain too many calories and too much fat--especially saturated fat--cholesterol and sodium. Most people also shortchange themselves on fiber and complex carbohydrates. Consequently, Americans have a high rate of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and cancer. The exact role of diet in some of these illnesses is still being studied; however, the following recommendations were developed based on current understanding.

EAT A VARIETY OF FOODS

You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health. These nutrients should come from a variety of foods, not from a few highly fortified foods or supplements. No single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need; therefore, eat a variety of foods daily, choosing different foods from each of the five major food groups--vegetables; fruits; breads, cereals, rice and pasta; milk, yogurt and cheese; and meats, poultry, fish, dry beans and peas, eggs and nuts.

MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT

If you are too fat or too thin you have a greater chance of developing health problems. Whether your weight is healthy depends on how much of your weight is fat, where the fat is located and whether you have weight-related medical problems, such as high blood pressure or a family history of such problems. Remember that heredity plays a role in body size and shape along with how much you exercise and what you eat. You might be on the heavy end of your weight range and still be in perfect health.If you are overweight, do not try to lose weight too fast. A steady loss of ½ to 1 pound a week until you reach your goal is generally safe.

CHOOSE A DIET LOW IN FAT, SATURATED FAT AND CHOLESTEROL

A diet low in fat makes it easier to include the variety of foods you need for nutrients without exceeding your calorie needs. A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol can help maintain a desirable level of blood cholesterol. The total fat in your diet should provide no more than 30 percent of your total calorie needs. For example, at 2,000 calories per day, your suggested upper limit is 600 calories from fat. Since each gram of fat contains 9 calories, this equals 67 grams of fat. No more than 10 percent of total calories (22 grams using our example) should come from saturated fat. Animal products are the source of all dietary cholesterol. Eating less fat from animal sources will help lower cholesterol as well as total fat and saturated fat in your diet.

CHOOSE A DIET WITH PLENTY OF VEGETABLES, FRUITS AND GRAIN PRODUCTS

Adults' daily food intake should include at least three servings of vegetables, two servings of fruit and at least six servings of grain products, such as breads, cereals, pasta and rice. These foods are important for their complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Eating foods with fiber is important for proper bowel function and can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease and hemorrhoids.

USE SUGARS ONLY IN MODERATION

Sugars and many foods that contain them in large amounts supply calories but are limited in nutrients. Both sugars and starches, which break down into sugars, can contribute to tooth decay. When purchasing food, read the labels. A food is likely to be high in sugar content if the label lists sugar, in any form, as either the first or second ingredient. Some examples include table sugar (sucrose), brown sugar, raw sugar, glucose (dextrose), fructose, maltose, lactose, honey, syrup, corn sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, molasses and fruit-juice concentrate.

USE SALT AND SODIUM ONLY IN MODERATION

Table salt contains sodium and chloride--both of which are essential in the diet. Most Americans, however, eat more salt and sodium than they need. For some people, this contributes to high blood pressure. In the United States, about one in three adults has high blood pressure. If these people restrict their salt and sodium intake, their blood pressure usually will fall. People who don't already have high blood pressure may reduce the chances of developing the problem by eating less salt as well. Since no test exists to determine who will or won't develop salt-induced high blood pressure, most experts believe in offering broad guidelines for the population in general.

IF YOU DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DO SO IN MODERATION

Alcoholic beverages supply calories but few or no nutrients. Drinking them has no net health benefit and is linked with many health problems--from accidents to alcoholism. Their consumption is not recommended. If adults elect to drink alcoholic beverages, women should consume no more than one drink a day, and men should limit consumption to two drinks a day. Some studies have suggested that moderate drinking is linked to lower risk for heart attacks, but drinking also is linked to higher risk for high blood pressure and hemorrhagic stroke. Finally, take all of this advise with a grain of salt. Following all of these suggestions will not guarantee anyone a longer life, and food alone cannot make you healthy. Good health depends on your heredity, your environment and your lifestyle--how much you exercise, whether you smoke or drink.Developing the right eating habits, however, will help you avoid many of the illnesses associated with a poor diet.